Game apparatus



C. A. RUCH March 8, 1949.

GAME APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed. June a, 1946 I WITNESSESZ 5:6)?

Z M E MP W W m 5 m /m WW) C. A. RUCH GAME APPARATUS March 5,1194% 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 8, 1946 BY j 40M444 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 8, 1 949 Charles=A..=Ruch,. Bridgeville, Pa., assignorof fifteen. per cent. to Hymen Diamond; Pittsburgh,

ApplicationJime 8, 1946, Serial No. 675,458

1. Glaim.. (Cl. 273120) My invention relates to.-game apparatus and. has particular relation to: game apparatus simulatingfootball.

Game apparatus simulating football constructed according" to thoteachings offthe -prior art is illustrated. by the Badgerow Paterrt'No. 1358;358; markedlofiin a manner analogousto; a football field is provided. A plurality of? blocks; are arrayed on the surface-inv anmannersimilar' to a football team in defensive formation. An. equal number of blocks. simulatingtanzofiensive footballateam: are arrayed behindza'removable barrier on an incline v plane. One; of? the:. offensive. blocks is designated by the: .participantto Whomtthey are assigned as balk carrien. When the. barrier: is released, the offensive blocks-move. down. the

incline:- plane under gravity. At:the.-base:-xof= theplane; the offensive. blocks: strike. theydefensive blocks displacingthem; Under 'the rules of the game, the-ball. is'saidto have advanced to the position at which: the offensive ball carrier block. stops.

In the prior art: games 'only one removablezibarrieri'is provided on:theincline p'lane. The'ofiensive blocks are arrayedin a solid formation'behind this barrier, the blocks. representing'the backfield resting againstithet blocks representing: the'line and theline blocks and baclr-field' blocks beingzlaterally in'contact; For'all'practical purposes, the offensive blockscantrthns be arrayed on only a few' formations; which: do not differ materially. The participants soon learn this part and determine the few defensive arrangements required to minimizethe advance of the ball carrier blocks. Thereafter, there is substantially no variety to=the game. The oliensive and defensive blocksare arrayed in the same formationsand impact of the offensive blocks against: the defensive blocks produces anticipated 'results. The game becomes-monotonous.

It is an objectofimyinvention to provide football' game apparatus in the use ofwhich a wide variety of offensive and defensive formations shall be available.

Another object of my'i'nvention is to provide football game apparatus characterized by wide variety in the results produced by the impact of the defensive and-offensive game blocks.

A- further' object of my invention is to provide football game apparatus which-shall simulate actual football inthe-respect that the information as to the-identity. of. the. ball carrier shall be withheld from the defensive participant.

'A still further object of my invention is to provide football game apparatus which shall simulate actual football in the availability of a maneuver analogous to a forward pass.

In 'aooordance with my=-invention, the incline plane of which the n offensive-blocks are'arraye'd In apparatus. of this type; a surface a Widevariety of formations.

is. provided with a plurality ofspaced barriers. Behind one barrier, the blocke corresponding to the'backefieldare. arrayed in any desired formation'. The offensive blocks may be arrayed in The barriers are released simultaneously so that the offensive blocks charge as a unit in a manner similar toya football team.

Inaccordance with a further aspect of my invention, one of; the offensive blocks is. marked to indicate'a ball carrier. The mark isof such character that? it maybe hidden from the View of the defensive participant-by. the barriers. or the; other blocks. theback-fieldand the'endsof a. footballteam are also marked characteristically so? as toidentify eligible forward-pass. receivers.

The novel features-that I consider: character.- istic of myinventiontare set. forth withzparticular-ity inthe' appended" claims; The'inventionitself, howevenboth as. toits= organization and its method of operation; together. with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbestbe'uncder-stood'from the following description of aspe cific embodiment when read in connection=withthe accompanying drawing, in-which Fig. l is a view inperspective illustrating an. embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is-a view in perspective illustrating aset of barriers constructed inaccordance with my invention;

Fig. 3' is a view in elevation of a ball-carrier game-block in accordance with myinvention; and

Fig. -is'a- View of a game block corresponding to a prospective forwardipassreceiver in accordance with my invention.

Theapparatus shown inFig. 1 comprisesan elongated rectangular container 5 having the approximate form of a. miniaturestadium. The base T of the container isaplane'surface subdivided by lines 9 like a football field. Rectangular side and-end walls H- and 13', respectively, extend from the base. The end walls 13 are slidably securedin slots [5' in the side walls 9: so that they (the endwalls) may be removedwith facility during the game. The side and end walls of the container 5 may be composed of any suitable material such as Wood or plastic. The side and end walls may be embellished so that they have the appearance of the grand stands and bleachers of a football stadium. The base i of the container maybe composed of canvas or other suitable material which may be folded. With the end Walls removed, the container may bethus collapsed into a narrow package. The base "I" of the 'container-may'also-becomposed'of' wood or plastic and" painted green to resemble a football gridiron.

One set' of eleven game blocks is. provided; for each participant'in: the game. .The game'blocks The blocks corresponding toare preferably small circular cylinders similar to checker pieces. However, rectangular or cubical blocks may be provided in lieu of the circular blocks. Preferably, the sets of game blocks are colored differently. For example, one set [1 may be colored red and the other set [9 black.

The bases of five of the blocks 2| of each set are of the solid color of the blocks. On the bases of five blocks 23 of the remaining six there is a small ring 25 of a different color than the color of the remainder of the block; for example, the ring 25 on the black blocks [9 may be yellow and the ring 25 on the red blocks I1 may be green. The blocks so identified correspond to the ends and the back-field of a football team, five of the six eligible pass receivers. The remaining block 21 is provided with a ring insert 29 of a heavy material such as lead and is heavier than the others. The heavier block is also identified by a colored ring 25 as a back-field block and by a line 3I' extending across a portion of its circumference as ball carrier.

The defensive blocks are arrayed on the base 1 of the container in the formation of a defensive football team. The offensive blocks are arrayed along a plurality of spaced barriers 33, 35 and 31 extending through transverse slots 39, 4| and 43, respectively, in an incline plane 45. The plane 45 comprises a flat surface 41 with a supporting block 49 extending from its under side near one of its ends. The plane 45 is disposed on the base 1 of the container 5 and is supported on the lower edge of the block 49 and on the edge of plane which is remote from the block.

The barriers 33, 35 and 31 are secured to a lever arm 5| which extends from a bracket 53 of a cross-section secured near the supporting edge of the plane. At the end at which the lever 5| is secured, it is provided with eyelets 55 which are secured to each of its sides. A pin 51 extending between the sides of the brackets passes through holes in the eyelets and holds the lever 5|. A spiral spring 59 is wound around the pin 51. One end of the spring 59 is secured to the base of the bracket 53 and the other end of the spring to the lever 5!. The spring 59 is wound so that it urges the lever 5 I upward so that the barriers 33, 35 and 31 extend through the slots 39, 4| and 43 across the surface of the incline plane 45. The portions of the barriers extending above the plane are of heights gradually increasing towards the upper end of the plane so that when the lever is moved downward, the barriers are simultaneously removed from the surface of the plane and the game blocks are simultaneously freed to roll or slide down the surface.

The game is played by two participants. One participant is assigned the eleven blocks of one color and the other the eleven blocks of the other color. A coin is tossed to determine which participant will be the first to be on the offensive. Once this fact is determined, the incline plane is arrayed with its lower edge on one 40 yard line, of the offensive blocks are arrayed along the middle barrier 35 and the ball carrier block on the third barrier 31. The defensive blocks are arrayed in kick-01f receiving formation with no more than 5 blocks at the 50 yard line and the others behind them. The kick-off occurs when the barrier is released. The first down after kick-off occurs at the point where the offensive carrier block stops after kick-off.

During play following the kick-01f the blocks I1 on the offensive are then arrayed against the barriers 33, 35 and 31 on the incline plane 45.

The identity of the ball carrier block may be hidden from the defensive participant by maintaining its identifying mark 3| below the barrier 31 at which it rests. The participant to whom the defensive blocks l9 are assigned arrays his blocks at the foot of the incline plane 45 in defensive formation.

Before the barriers are released, the position of the blocks on the oifensive may be changed. The defensive participant may change the position of his blocks to correspond to the changes in the offensive blocks. The barrier is released suddenly in the same manner as a football is snapped in an actual football game. If the participant to Whom the offensive blocks is assigned so desires, he may elect to toss a forward pass. In this event, he retains the ball carrier block until after the offensive blocks are released. He then tosses the ball carrier block into the group of blocks. If the ball carrier block strikes a block identified as an eligible ball receiver, the forward pass is successfully complete. If the ball carrier block strikes a defensive block, an interception is said to have occurred. If neither event occurs the pass is unsuccessful and one down is charged against the offensive participant.

If a charge is to take place near one or the other ends of the container, the end wall IS on one side is removed and the incline plane 45 arranged with its forward edge along the line of play and its rear portion outside of the container.

Each participant is given four tries at achieving goal; causing its ball carrier block to cross the zero line 9 at the remote end of the surface 1. over at the point of failure. If rectangular blocks are used, the rules may be changed to provide for four tries at achieving a predetermined distance as in actual football rather than goal.

Although I have shown and described a certain specific embodiment of my invention, I am fully aware that many modifications thereof are possible. My invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

A projecting platform for game blocks comprising an elongated plane surface having a plurality of transverse slots near one end thereof and a support positioned adjacent to the under surface of said platform so that it normally lies in a position substantially parallel to said under surface and means for moving said support so that a portion thereof lies in a position spaced from said under surface, said portion of said support having secured thereto on the side facing said under surface a plurality of plates extending substantially perpendicular to said support and aligned with said slots, said plates projecting through said slots in said'first-named position of said support and being movable so that they may be maintained with the upper edges thereof parallel to said slots in the plane of said surface or below said surface as said support is moved from said first-named to said second named position.

CHARLES A. RUCH.

REFERENCES CITED,

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Badgerow May 8, 1934- Number If he fails, the other participant takes, 

